The weekend wasn't all heartbreak and misery. No ma'am, no sir!
There was also… crafting. And crafting – as you know – often means peg dolls. These little friends might be my favorite peg dolls ever. In fact, I'm certain they are.
So induldge me just one more time in a Parade of Small Wooden People across your moniter.
Would you do me that? Thank you kindly. You're ever so polite.
They are tiny – about an inch tall. I bought the blank bodies here and painted them with watercolor paint. (Normally I use acrylics but something about the woodgrain showing through in Margaret's dolls has me inspired.)
I'll give each one a rub with a beeswax and oil wood polish before they are done.
My intention was to turn them into zipper pulls and put them in my Etsy shop but I'm not sure I have it in me to take a drill bit to their cute little heads anymore.
Plus we've found they make the perfect little game pieces for our favorite board game. Way cuter than a plastic pawn, don't you think? We might have to use them for all of our games from now on.
Edited to say: I decided to put a few in my Etsy shop. If you'd like some for your own family pop over and I'll custom paint them for you!
Oh. And then there were the butterflies. (I know. I need help.)
With felt wings and watercolor painted bodies, these three critters became part of our Valentine mobile. The kids and I made it in less than an hour using watercolor paper hearts, an embroidery hoop, and some ribbon.
Sweetness overload.
And by hanging them from the ceiling they are safe from the rising flood waters! Such a bonus. (Let's hope the roof doesn't leak.)
Okay. I'm done now. Thanks for bearing with me and the peg people madness!
Love,
Rachel
Soooooooo precious. I can’t wait to try peg painting with my son!
Oh my! They are just too cute! I love your Valentine mobile as well.
So funny! Thanks for the midday chuckle! And some valentine’s inspiration…
I love how you have the faces tilted in some of those dolls. It never occured to me to do that. And those butterflies… guess what we are making this afternoon.
It’s the tiniest bit tricky to get the hang of because at first it feels like your putting an eyeball on their forehead. But it comes. I love their jaunty little cocked heads, too!
Lovely work!
they are so cute and so sweet!! my girls would LOVE it if i did some of those!!
So do you paint the face first and then the hair. . .or the other way around?
Anytime I do face before hair I end up with rather, um, homely dolls. So always hair first. x
Sooo cute! I love the watercolor look on these dolls, too! Santa delivered Wildcraft to our house this year, and we all love it. What a great idea to use the dolls for the game pieces. We may have to make some of our own!
I was so inspired by your peg doll book post that I planned for our storm weekend (we live near Boston) and got some supplies to make some with my kids (6 and 4). We had a blast!! It was so much fun that my heart skipped a little beat when I saw yet another post from you about these little wooden dolls. These ones are particularly adorable! Thank you!!!
I LOVE the mobile!!!!! I’ve been wanting to make a needle felted one for my daughter but I love it with the peg dolls! Too sweet!
What kind of watercolors did you use on these dolls? I would love to let the children at my library try, but our watercolors are so light and pastel I think I would need a new set.
mmm… jelly bean babies — makes me want to nibble on them (just a bit…)
xo
Sarah,
We are using these paints from Stubby Pencil Studio: http://www.stubbypencilstudio.com/product/FTEC_H2OCOLOR_SET/Watercolor-Opaque-Set/ They are just lovely!
The first one I did was a necklace for my daughter a year or two ago. She loved it!
It’s really perfect for this game. More so than, say, Clue for example. We love Wildcraft!
Oh how lovely! Glad you were inspired Lisa.
I’ve been wanting to do one of sewn felt but this just happened all on its own. Needle felting would be lovely!
Oh my gosh, the little butterfly ones are ridiculously darling!
That line of little ones makes me think of the story of the Root Children. So sweet.
Superbe. The butterfly dolls are to die for, so original.
Such amazing crafts! I’m thrilled to bits with them, especially I enjoy your butterflies. Great idea!
They are darling! Time to get some to our house as well. . .
Great ideas! But then everything on your site is great! I have a little girl turning seven next month that would LOVE these ideas. Thank you! Have a great day!
Ooooh, they ARE the cutest tiny dolls!!
Oh my goodness, those little round peg people are too cute!!!
My oh my, those are so charming! Love them!!!
O is IN LOVE…L & K aren’t far behind…neither is mama. 🙂
Oh, yes!
Rachel, can you say more about the beeswax and oil wood polish you used to finish them? Hoping to make some from a friends toddler.
I love this post. The colours on your photos are so inspiring, I could almost jump into February on the spot! And the board game board… 😎 x